But Zarrilli's current job has a much stronger focus on
planning and hardening the city against future storms than it does on housing -
the key component of the Housing Recovery Office that runs Build it Back.

Zarrilli, a father of two, earned his master's degree in
civil and environmental engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, and has a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Lehigh University.
Before joining the EDC, he worked with Bechtel Infrastructure Corp.

His Staten Island address would also likely be helpful,
since many of the storm's victims are in Staten Island and not many
high-ranking administration officials hail from the borough.

The Epoch Times also floated Sonia Ossorio, president of the
city's chapter of the National Organization for Women, and Deputy Mayor Anthony
Shorris as contenders to lead the struggling office.

Local officials are expecting an announcement on the Sandy
front soon - it's been over a month since de Blasio came to Staten Island
promising an overhaul.

In that time, the city hasn't had much luck staffing up the
Build it Back program: Only two of 17 employees have been hired for the
program, Department of Buildings acting commissioner Thomas Fariello testified
before the City Council Monday, Capital New York reported.